In-flight reconfigurable aircraft tail

• US 10,279,903 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Bunting, Colin Kemater, Strauss, Michael Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Richard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frazier, Brady W
• Application Number:
  US14/717,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 244 76 R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/30 Parts of fuselage relatively movable to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/52 Skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface

Abstract

A system and method for a reconfigurable aircraft having a fuselage with one or more propellers, at least one tail assembly, a processor, and a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: determine a safety clearance for the at least one tail assembly; and selectively move the at least one tail assembly upon a determination that the safety clearance is achieved.

Claims

1. A system for a reconfigurable aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage having one or more propellers;

a first tail assembly comprising a first portion that is coupled to a second portion;

a second tail assembly comprising a third portion that is coupled to a fourth portion;

a processor; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

determine a safety clearance for the first tail assembly and the second tail assembly;

selectively move the first tail assembly upon a determination that the safety clearance is achieved by selectively moving the second portion between a retracted position relative to the first portion and an extended position relative to the first portion; and

selectively move the second tail assembly upon a determination that the safety clearance is achieved by selectively moving the fourth portion between a retracted position relative to the third portion and an extended position relative to the third portion,

wherein the second portion rotates towards the fourth portion and the fourth portion rotates towards the second portion when selectively moving the second portion and the fourth portion from the extended position to the retracted position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion is attached to the first portion in the extended position.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second portion is substantially orthogonal to the first portion in a retracted position.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising respective strut and linkages coupled to at least one of the first tail assembly and the second tail assembly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tail assembly and the second tail assembly is coupled to a wing portion of the aircraft.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a landing gear, and wherein the third portion comprises a landing gear.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a first stabilizer fin coupled to a distal end of the second portion, and wherein the fourth portion comprises a second stabilizer fin coupled to a distal end of the fourth portion.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion rotates away from the fourth portion and away from the fuselage and the fourth portion rotates away from the second portion and the fuselage when selectively moving the second portion and the fourth portion from the retracted position to the extended position.

6. A method for controlling a reconfigurable aircraft, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, one or more signals indicative of position of the aircraft with the ground;

determining, with the processor, information indicative of a safety clearance for a first tail assembly comprising a first portion that is coupled to a second portion and a second tail assembly comprising a third portion that is coupled to a fourth portion;

selectively moving the first tail assembly upon a determination that the safety clearance is achieved by selectively moving the second portion between a retracted position relative to the first portion and an extended position relative to the first portion; and

selectively moving the second tail assembly upon a determination that the safety clearance is achieved by selectively moving the fourth portion between a retracted position relative to the third portion and an extended position relative to the third portion,

wherein the second portion rotates towards the fourth portion and the fourth portion rotates towards the second portion when selectively moving the second portion and the fourth portion from the extended position to the retracted position.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving sensor information indicative of weight of the aircraft on a plurality of landing gears.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving sensor information for a strut and linkages coupled to at least one of the first tail assembly and the second tail assembly.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising attaching the second portion to the first portion in the extended position.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising retracting the second portion from the first portion to be substantially orthogonal with the first portion.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising coupling at least one of the first tail assembly and the second tail assembly to a wing portion of the aircraft.